The great progress in recent years in understanding at a molecular level the defects in a number of hematological diseases, both genetic and acquired, has led to a realistic expectation that genetic intervention in these chronically disabling and often fatal diseases may soon be at hand. In order to facilitate the further elucidation of the pathologic causes of severe benign and malignant hematological diseases at a molecular level and to accelerate the translation of basic science findings to clinical application, a plan is proposed for developing an interactive Center of Excellence in Molecular Hematology. The center will be developed by bringing together expertise from a wide range of scientific disciplines and departments, including the Departments of Medicine, Pediatrics, Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Biochemistry, and Microbiology, as well as established interdisciplinary, interdepartmental programs in the Institute of Human Genetics and the University of Minnesota Cancer Center. The planning phase of this center will involve a large number of accomplished investigators in structured, regular meetings to develop a highly focused, integrated scientific thrust in the area of pathologic and therapeutic gene expression in hematopoietic cells. Evaluation of program components, including both scientific cores and individual projects will be accomplished by internal peer review by all participating scientists, with decisions made by the program director and an internal executive committee composed of participating senior scientists. This same executive committee will also provide advice regarding the recruitment of new faculty needed to provide additional expertise critical to the scientific functions of the center. An outside advisory committee of experts from other institutions, to be selected by the planning group, will provide overall scientific advice concerning the center and peer review of pilot projects that will be part of the ongoing development of the planned center. The enthusiastic participation of a large group of distinguished basic and clinical scientists with expertise in gene regulation, hematopoiesis, hematopoietic cell and molecular biology, immune effector cell and molecular biology, transgenic animal models, gene therapy, clinical hematology, oncology, and bone marrow transplantation should insure the development of a scientifically strong and effective center. The long term goal of this proposed Center of Excellence is to elucidate basic molecular mechanisms of disabling hematological diseases and apply this knowledge to innovative somatic genetic therapy approaches to treat these diseases.